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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28287675">baptise (in your thighs)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sepiacigarettes/pseuds/sepiacigarettes'>sepiacigarettes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Keith (Voltron), Alpha Shiro (Voltron), Alpha/Alpha, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Blow Jobs, During Canon, Hand Jobs, M/M, Multiple Orgasms, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Pool Sex, Power Bottom Keith (Voltron), Rimming, Semi-Public Sex, Service Top Shiro (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:40:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,379</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28287675</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sepiacigarettes/pseuds/sepiacigarettes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“I’ve never heard of alphas helping each other,” Keith eventually says, eyes still dark as they roam over Shiro’s face. It makes him feel like a teenager again, sitting together with a crush. “Thought you needed an omega.”</p>
  <p>And that confirms enough about Keith’s level of experience. The alpha in Shiro <em>howls.</em></p>
</blockquote><p>Shiro goes to the pool. He finds Keith in rut. They deal with it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Shiro (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>443</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>baptise (in your thighs)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>me: let's write a/b/o for the first time<br/>me: you know alpha x alpha seems pretty cool</p><p>and here we are.</p><p>thank you to <a href="https://twitter.com/stardropdream">robin</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Starryskeyes">chel</a> especially for the cheerleading 💛</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>You're wearing nothing, but my t-shirt</p>
  <p>Call me shallow, but I'm only getting deeper, yeah</p>
  <p>Stay on the ground until your knees hurt</p>
  <p>And I'll keep leading you on</p>
  <p>If you keep leading me into your room</p>
  <p>I'm about to take you back to church</p>
  <p>Well tell me your confessions baby what's the worst, yeah</p>
  <p>Baptise in your thighs 'til it hurts</p>
  <p>'Cause I'm about to take you back to church</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Chase Atlantic, <em> Church </em></p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>— S —</p><p> </p><p>Shiro doesn’t know what hour it is.</p><p>Time is strange in space. Sometimes it flies past quicker than an Arusian dragon, and other days it’s like this: the slow drip of a faucet that hasn’t been turned off properly.</p><p>Shiro waits out the doldrum for a varga, going over the day’s events of beating the robeast, and then meditating to waterfall sounds stored in his tablet’s inventory. He originally went looking for the desert, but Altea was only blue skies and rolling hills. Not a desert sound was to be found.</p><p>He never thought he’d miss the heat of it, the way his hair would stick to his face and how Keith would laugh at him every time they raced.</p><p>But he does.</p><p>He misses the simplicity of it, the sound of sand shifting over itself. He misses Keith.</p><p>It doesn’t matter that they’re on this spaceship together. No amount of time is enough now.</p><p>Leaving for Kerberos had been <em> hard. </em> Shiro had buried his face in Keith’s shoulder and held him tight enough to hurt, because the pain in his chest was even worse.</p><p>Fighting on the Galra prison ships had been fucking <em> horrible. </em> Shiro had sat in his cell, face bleeding, wishing for some kind of salvation, for the warmth of Keith’s smile.</p><p>And then he’d come back, to Keith, to the sunrise in the desert, and it was like his whole world had shifted.</p><p><em> I’ve been waiting for you, </em>was his first thought when his best friend put his hand on his shoulder and said it was good to have Shiro back.</p><p>It didn’t matter that they were both alphas, that Keith was old enough now to be considered a threat.</p><p>Shiro had gathered his best friend into his arms, pressed his face to Keith’s throat. He’d breathed him in. It felt like home and comfort and belonging.</p><p>It felt <em> right. </em></p><p>And since then, Shiro hasn’t questioned it.</p><p>Why should he?</p><p>Keith doesn’t answer the message Shiro sends him. It’s become a ritual of sorts for the two of them to find each other at night. If the others ever wake, then Shiro never sees them. Pidge holes herself up in her room and only ever lets Hunk in. Lance adores his beauty sleep. Allura works so hard, she passes out the moment her head hits the pillow.</p><p>No, it’s always just him and Keith. Two alphas against the night.</p><p>Another half a varga drips by. </p><p>Shiro’s clock refuses to tick over.</p><p>The waterfall projected onto his wall is stunning and looks nothing like the ones on Earth; a glittering turquoise flow among a lush green backdrop. It reminds Shiro of the pool and god, he hasn’t been swimming in <em>years.</em></p><p>
  <em> It’s not like you’re doing anything else. </em>
</p><p>Shiro can’t argue with that.</p><p>He goes. </p><p>The hum of the Castle of Lions accompanies him as he pads down the halls. The Garrison was always yellow, and the Galran ships were purple. Shiro likes the blue of the Castle; it doesn’t stir up nostalgia or painful memories.</p><p>He doesn’t even know the way to the pool, but the Castle lights the way for him anyway.</p><p>It should surprise him. Shiro just accepts it as another occurrence in this new crazy life he’s been pulled into, and follows the path.</p><p>The room is like all pools Shiro has ever been to; slightly humid, the stench of chlorine and salt. It’s suspended in the damned <em> ceiling, </em> and Shiro stares at it for a solid minute, because <em> what the fuck. </em></p><p>And then he laughs, follows the lights to one of the columns. It beams him up the moment he steps inside the pod, opening to a beautiful sight: Keith, leaning against the poolside.</p><p>Shiro’s mouth goes dry.</p><p>Stars.</p><p>He approaches carefully. “Hey, you.”</p><p>“Shiro,” Keith says quietly, looking up at him. He's soft like this, so soft. Shiro’s chest burns.</p><p>“Couldn’t sleep?” he asks as he takes a seat next to the pool, folding his legs underneath him.</p><p>Keith’s hair is inky black, his eyes a deep violet. The room smells like him: mandarin and pink peppercorn. Shiro’s favourite. “No.”</p><p>He’s beautiful, always, but something about the way the room glows around Keith makes him even more so. The furnace in Shiro’s chest burns brighter at the sight.</p><p>And that’s not new.</p><p>He’s been on fire since before Kerberos. In the final days, they sat among the honey yellow sunsets, and Shiro felt like he could join the sun with how intensely his chest burned.</p><p>Like now.</p><p>“That makes two of us then,” he manages, dipping a finger into the pool. “Did you get my message?”</p><p>Keith shakes his head. “I’ve been here for a while. Wanted to cool down.”</p><p>“Did you go for a run or something?”</p><p>Keith levels him with a look. It’s not an unfair question, Shiro reasons. There have been a couple of times that Shiro has caught Keith doing rounds with the training droids.</p><p>“No, Shiro. It’s just. Not a good time.”</p><p>
  <em> Not a good time? </em>
</p><p>Shiro tilts his head, sniffs the air instinctively. Citrus fills Shiro’s nostrils, the woody tone of the pink peppercorn underneath, silky smooth and addictive, enough to make Shiro want to bury his face in Keith’s neck and never leave and—</p><p>Oh.</p><p>
  <em> Oh. </em>
</p><p>To solidify the confession, Keith’s scent increases tenfold as he lifts himself out of the water. It’s almost unbearable as he sits next to Shiro, sweet rose swimming around Shiro’s head.</p><p>“Ah,” Shiro says, very eloquently.</p><p>He didn’t know. They’ve been close for a long time, but never about that. Anything biological never gets touched upon.</p><p>Keith’s scent is everywhere. Shiro can almost <em> taste </em>it.</p><p>“Sorry?” Keith offers.</p><p>Shiro laughs weakly.</p><p>He hadn’t even thought about the implications of a rut out here. He’d had one last year, on the Galran prison ships. It hadn’t been enjoyable, but then that whole experience was one big stain on Shiro’s memory anyway. Among the rest of the shit, it was bearable, in a morbid kind of way.</p><p>“Um. I can go.”</p><p>It’s the appropriate thing to say.</p><p>Keith’s confession should be enough to make Shiro leave; another alpha’s pheromones will only worsen the build up.</p><p>But he doesn’t want to.</p><p>“No,” Keith frowns, like Shiro just said something silly. “Stay.”</p><p>And Shiro should ask if Keith is sure, because territories and alphas and ruts are all very important considerations. But he isn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. He doesn’t need to be told twice.</p><p>“Are you okay?” he thinks to say. It sounds trite, to be said now, but better late than never.</p><p>Keith shrugs. “Not the first I’ve spent alone.”</p><p>Unbidden, the image of Keith in the desert comes to mind. Shiro can’t push it out, the idea of Keith losing his mind there, coming all over his chest.</p><p>He smells fucking <em> incredible. </em></p><p>“You never…?” <em> You never had anyone? </em></p><p>The look Keith gives him is even more scathing than before. “Have you ever seen me talk to anyone else?”</p><p>It’s becoming harder to focus like this. Keith’s early into his rut, hasn’t descended into the mindlessness of it yet. Shiro doesn’t think he’d be able to stop himself if Keith was further along. Already the scent is affecting him so much.</p><p>So he decides to tease him. “I’ve definitely seen you talk to the others.”</p><p>Keith wrinkles his nose. “Don’t be a dick.”</p><p>“What?” Shiro grins. “I’m sure Lance would help you out.”</p><p>This time Keith <em> does </em>hit him. It's deserved. “I wouldn’t even ask Hunk, and I’d trust him with a lot of things.”</p><p>The sole beta of their paladin family is a good one, Shiro will give him that much. Still, the thought of Keith seeking anyone out to spend his rut with makes jealousy curdle in his mouth.</p><p>“You know,” he says, staring at the stars, “you can always ask me.”</p><p>He tries to gentle it, to make it flexible enough to pass off as a joke if Keith doesn’t like the idea.</p><p>“You’re so generous, <em> Alpha,” </em> Keith says, and he’s teasing too but <em> god, </em>Shiro gets hot all over at the gravel in Keith’s voice.</p><p>He’s going to give himself away like this, going to stink out this whole room with how desperately he wants his best friend.</p><p>
  <em> Good one, Shiro. </em>
</p><p>“Shut up,” he snorts, aiming for casual and missing by a mile.</p><p>He slips into the pool.</p><p>Water seeps into his clothes, stains them black. It tingles against his skin like popping candy, and when he glances up, Keith’s eyes are locked onto him.</p><p>Leaning back like he is, thighs spread, he’s a dream. Shiro ducks down to blow bubbles in the water, stalling. He doesn’t know if he wants Keith to chase the conversation or leave it alone.</p><p>“How long have you got?”</p><p>Keith shrugs. “I thought maybe another hour? But then it got worse when you showed up.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Shiro says, because an apology would be empty. </p><p>Keith grins at him, all teeth. He joins Shiro in the water.</p><p>“Just keeping you humble. And distracting myself.”</p><p>“Is it working?”</p><p>Keith tips his head back until he’s up to his ears. The bend of his spine is <em> obscene. </em></p><p>“Not really,” he says.</p><p>Shiro sees the strong lines of tension in his neck and shoulders. He sees the answer for what it is: <em> not at all. </em></p><p>The stars spin outside. Another time, Shiro might offer to take Keith to the observation deck. They could compete to see who could name the most constellations.</p><p>But already he can see the way the rut is taking Keith. Already the stench of citrus is drowning out everything else. Already Shiro wants nothing more than to press him into the pool edge and take him.</p><p><em> Don’t, </em>he scolds, even though every ounce of him fights against it.</p><p>“Hey,” he says, daring to swim closer. The flush sits high on Keith’s cheeks, travels all the way down to his chest. Shiro resolutely does not look further. “How are you feeling?”</p><p>“Excellent,” Keith manages, closing his eyes and sighing in frustration. “Never better.”</p><p>The furnace in Shiro’s chest manages to climb a little higher in temperature, manages to lick its way up his throat. “Keith.”</p><p>Keith’s lashes are long and dark. Shiro wonders if there will ever be a day when he isn’t sideswiped by how beautiful Keith has gotten.</p><p>“If you want help with it, Keith,” he says, a second offer. “I’m always here.”</p><p>Keith has never been good at taking compliments, or assistance. He’s a fiery stubborn alpha, fights with his teeth and his fists and his heart, loyal as anything. He tackles each challenge head-on, never shies away from them.</p><p>But, it’s just the two of them. In this pool, on a spaceship, in the midst of a galactic war. And a rut is a rut. A warm body is a warm body.</p><p>“I’ve never heard of alphas helping each other,” Keith eventually says, eyes still dark as they roam over Shiro’s face. It makes him feel like a teenager again, sitting together with a crush. “Thought you needed an omega.”</p><p>And that confirms enough about Keith’s level of experience. The alpha in Shiro <em> howls. </em></p><p>“It’s not normal,” he agrees, but then nothing with them is normal.</p><p>It wasn’t normal for Keith to beat the simulator with that level of efficiency at his age, and it wasn’t normal for Shiro to reach out to him and offer him an Academy position. It wasn’t normal for Shiro to gravitate towards this little starburst he found in the desert, and <em> none </em> of what’s happened to them since he crash landed back on Earth comes <em> close </em> to normal.</p><p>“Isn’t it… isn’t it frowned upon?” Keith says, and surely he doesn’t mean to make his voice that coy.</p><p>
  <em> Jesus. </em>
</p><p>“Since when have you ever given a shit what people think?” Shiro points out.</p><p>So what if they’re both alphas? He's not desperate, not yet, but he <em> will </em>plead his case.</p><p>Keith nods. “True.”</p><p>They could paint the room orange with the smell of Keith right now. A whole citrus field. It's heavy on Shiro’s tongue, coating his whole mouth.</p><p>“I don’t know what to do,” Keith says, closing his eyes. “I don’t… alphas are supposed to want omegas.”</p><p>“Yes,” Shiro says, unable to think of a better response. “They’re supposed to.”</p><p>Because they <em> are. </em>Biologically it makes sense, socially it’s expected, and yet, here they are anyway.</p><p>“But you…” Keith says, trailing off. When he opens his eyes, his sclerae are beginning to bleed gold. Oh, they’re <em> way </em>closer than the hour deadline. “It’s only ever…”</p><p>Shiro’s breath catches in his throat.</p><p>There are <em> so </em>many confessions in those two aborted sentences already.</p><p>“The last time…” Keith starts haltingly, and Shiro can see his fangs from here. “The last time, you were gone for Kerberos and I could barely <em> think.” </em> His brow pulls together as he pushes a hand through his fringe. Shiro itches to touch it. “A whole week, just… <em> delirious </em>with the entire fucking thing.” He laughs. “It was just… the worst cherry on top for an already shit year.”</p><p><em> And you didn’t have anyone, </em> Shiro finishes. <em> Just you and the stars and the desert; you and your hand and the gaping wound of your best friend’s absence. </em></p><p>“Don’t go through it on your own again,” he says, the most of an apology he can manage. Nothing will ever make up for the last year. “I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t want to. You know that. You know <em> me.” </em></p><p>“I know,” Keith says, and if it comes out as a whine that makes Shiro’s blood run hot, well, that’s his own problem.</p><p>Blearily he reaches out, makes Shiro wade closer until they’re almost touching. Water drips from Keith’s hair onto Shiro’s chest. He presses his nose to Shiro’s throat and inhales deeply.</p><p>“You smell—good,” he murmurs, and he’s close enough that Shiro can feel his lips on his skin. “Really good, Shiro.”</p><p><em> Let me have you, </em> Shiro thinks, daring to find Keith’s hips. <em> I’m all yours, you know. </em></p><p>“I…” Keith says, pressing his forehead to Shiro’s shoulder. “Is this okay?”</p><p>Stars. Shiro doesn’t know how Keith can’t <em> smell </em> the pure want rolling off him in waves. If Shiro’s whole world right now is citrus, then Keith <em> has </em> to see the effect he’s having on Shiro. He’s pretty sure it will float down the halls and vents, permeate the entire castle.</p><p>“You have to ask?” he says softly, squeezing Keith’s waist gently.</p><p>Keith doesn’t lift his head. He nods, a small vulnerable thing.</p><p>Shiro can give that reassurance. “Of course it’s okay, Keith. More than okay. There’s nothing…” And he doesn’t know how to put it into words, how far gone he is already for Keith, how it’s never been about both of them being alphas, how it’s always just been <em> KeithKeithKeith. </em> “I want to help you,” he tries. “Let me.”</p><p>Keith shakes, pressing his whole face to Shiro’s neck. Shiro feels the scrape of teeth. He bites back the whine, the foreign urge to bare his throat.</p><p>Alphas don’t submit to other alphas.</p><p>He would for Keith.</p><p>“Do what you want, okay?” he says, running a hand up Keith’s side, dragging his shirt up, counting ribs. “Anything. Anything you want.”</p><p>“Okay,” Keith mumbles, and then there are teeth again and a hot mouth closing over Shiro’s pulse before he <em> sucks. </em></p><p>This time Shiro does whine.</p><p>The citrus is blooming throughout the room, flooding Shiro’s entire senses. It's enough to make him dizzy with it, enough to block out everything else. He’d forgotten what a rut felt like. It's almost as though Keith's is kickstarting his own.</p><p>“I’m,” Keith grits out, eyes flashing gold and violet. “I don’t…”</p><p><em> I can’t believe we thought you had an hour, </em>Shiro thinks, feeling the prick of claws against his tricep, the haze of rut descending over both of them.</p><p>“You should… you should <em> leave,” </em> Keith says, as if it’s even a possibility now.</p><p>“No,” Shiro breathes, walking Keith backwards until they hit the edge, until Keith is pressed up against it, against <em> him, </em>exactly where he should be. “I’m not going anywhere.” </p><p>“Shiro,” Keith tries.</p><p>But Shiro has heard <em> enough. </em></p><p>He shuts him up, ducks down and slots their mouths together. The confused groan Keith makes sounds like a victory and Shiro takes it, digs his fingers into Keith’s neck and kisses him deeply. </p><p>Keith’s breath hitches, the tension in his body <em> melts. </em>He smells like a mandarin orchard, thick, sweet. </p><p>Shiro can feel the hot press of Keith’s dick against his stomach as he palms over the swell of Keith’s ass, gets a grip on those strong thighs, brings them up around his waist.</p><p>Keith goes with it. Pulls Shiro right in, meets the next questing kiss with one of his own, always a quick learner.</p><p>And he sighs, <em> “Alpha,” </em> right into Shiro’s mouth.</p><p>“Keith—” Shiro chokes out.</p><p>Keith rocks against him, completely oblivious to the way the words send burning heat directly to Shiro’s dick.</p><p>His hand grips Shiro’s chin, turning strong when Shiro tests the give of it. Shiro can’t do anything except be held in place then as Keith winds his tongue around Shiro’s, as his claws break the skin of Shiro’s shoulder through his shirt.</p><p>Shiro hisses from the sting of it and Keith laughs lowly, fangs glinting in the blue light of the room.</p><p>“You’re <em> mine,” </em> he coos, flexing his thighs against Shiro’s sides before he bites down on Shiro’s lip, <em> hard. </em></p><p>It hurts even more.</p><p>Shiro lets it hurt, lets Keith swipe his tongue along the cut and push the taste of blood into Shiro’s mouth. It feels like a marking of sorts, a claim. When Keith pulls back to see, his eyes flash gold and he drags his finger through the bloodied mess. Shiro can feel it dripping down his chin.</p><p>“Kiss me again,” Keith commands, pupils blown wide.</p><p><em> Yes, Alpha, </em>burns on Shiro’s lips.</p><p>Instead he leans forward, kisses Keith’s plush mouth once more. The pool is warm and it’s an odd juxtaposition: the firm strength of Keith’s legs clinging to him compared to the weightless sensation of being in water.</p><p>“You’re beautiful,” Shiro murmurs, cupping Keith’s face as he presses shaky bloody kisses to Keith’s cheek. “So beautiful, Keith.”</p><p>Water swirls around them, Altean blue, sparkling with the Castle of Lions’ magic. Shiro listens to the sound of it, to the small pants Keith makes against his mouth. Cerulean light paints his skin, and it looks almost violet like this.</p><p>“Off,” Keith says, pawing at Shiro’s shirt. “Off, off, take this off—Shiro—”</p><p>Shiro rushes to comply, burning up. Keith hums, pleased. He drags his claws down Shiro’s chest, light enough to avoid blood, strong enough to remind Shiro that he could if he wanted.</p><p>“Better?” Shiro says, just because he can.</p><p>“Yeah,” Keith answers.</p><p>Shiro’s grip is strong on Keith’s thighs and they rock together again. Keith’s breath leaves him in hitches and gasps and each one hits Shiro like a freight train. He could get drunk off the smell of him, the taste. He could do this forever.</p><p>“Shiro,” Keith gasps, kisses hot and wet, and his fingers dig into Shiro’s shoulders. “I want—need—”</p><p>“Anything,” Shiro groans out, wishing they had more time, wishing he had enough presence of mind to stop, to leave here and lay Keith out on his bed. But he doesn’t want to take his time right now. Right now he wants to wind his fingers into Keith’s hair and <em> pull. </em></p><p>The sound that leaves Keith’s mouth is too close to a sob. He claps a hand over it, as if to stop it from escaping.</p><p>Possession rears its ugly head inside Shiro. He grasps Keith’s wrist, pulls it free.</p><p>“Let me hear you,” he growls.</p><p>In response, Keith bares his teeth. <em> “Make me.” </em></p><p>Shiro wants to growl back, wants to wrestle this fiery alpha underneath him into submission, but mostly it’s just hot.</p><p>“Fine,” he says, fist still tight in Keith’s hair as he tips his head back, as he bites his way up Keith’s throat.</p><p>Water sloshes around them. There’s nothing but citrus and heat, and Keith’s hitched breaths and quiet moans. Shiro’s crazy with it. He wants to <em> claim </em> him.</p><p>“I need—” Keith gasps, neck littered with marks. Shiro watches them as Keith hoists himself up onto the pool edge again, draws Shiro in close by a heel on his back. <em> “Touch </em> me—”</p><p>His sweatpants cling to his thighs, show the curved outline of his cock, and Shiro’s mouth waters. He fumbles to obey, hands clumsy with desire as he fights with the drawstring, as Keith helps.</p><p>They get his pants open, together, drag them down just far enough to free Keith’s cock. It’s a lovely thing, flushed purple at the tip, slick with precome.</p><p>“Let me—” Shiro says, already leaning down to mouth at the soft inside of Keith’s thigh.</p><p>It’s Keith’s turn to fist his hand in Shiro’s hair. “Open your mouth,” he says, an almost snarl, but Shiro beats him to it.</p><p>He curls his tongue around the shaft, grips what he can’t fit in his mouth. Shiro hasn’t given a blowjob in years but Keith is new to all of this and the sticky haze of rut is enough to quell the tide of performance anxiety.</p><p>So too, is the way Keith cries out when Shiro sinks all the way down. His thighs close around Shiro’s head, strong enough to hurt, and Shiro can’t stop the grunt, the way Keith’s cock gets caught in the back of his throat.</p><p>It’s sort of ridiculous how Shiro chokes, how his eyes water. It’s even more ridiculous how immense the surge of satisfaction is in getting to push on Keith’s thigh back, to make him open his legs, to keep him like that.</p><p>He’s sweet and heady here, and Shiro doesn’t think twice about mouthing at the underside, at trailing his nose down over the heavy swell of Keith’s balls. Keith shakes when Shiro reaches his hole, when he flicks his tongue against it.</p><p>“Oh god,” he says, falling onto his back.</p><p>Shiro can work with that. He brings Keith’s knees over his shoulders, grips Keith’s leaking cock in one hand and strokes.</p><p>“I’ve got you,” he murmurs, and then he buries his face in Keith’s ass.</p><p>Keith arches at the next touch of Shiro’s tongue, at the bite Shiro leaves on the sensitive junction of his pelvis and thigh. “Shiro,” he says, “Shiro…” like he knows how much Shiro will never ever tire of hearing him say it.</p><p>He drags his tongue over Keith’s hole, tries to find a rhythm as he feels each tremble like an aftershock. Keith’s fingers fumble for his, skittering over Shiro’s where he jerks Keith’s cock. He’s shaking like a storm, thighs quivering under Shiro’s hands, and Shiro squeezes one, trying to calm him.</p><p>“Shiro…” Keith whines, chest heaving with each shaky inhale.</p><p>He’s the best thing Shiro’s ever seen, ever tasted. Citrus and peppercorn stain Shiro’s entire existence, his mind is a wreck. He won’t survive this, neither of them will.</p><p>“I’ve got you,” he repeats, for both their benefit.</p><p>Keith keeps making hurt noises with each swipe of Shiro’s tongue, fingers gripping Shiro’s, helping him. “Yes,” he gasps out, “Yes, yes, yes…”</p><p>He’s beautiful, lost to the heat of his rut and pulling Shiro right down into it with him. Shiro bites mindlessly at Keith’s thigh, works his cock over clumsily, sucks harshly at his hole. Keith’s cock slaps his cheek and Shiro lets it drag, leave trails of sticky precome across his face.</p><p>Alphas don’t submit.</p><p>Here he is, regardless.</p><p>“Shiro—” Keith says.</p><p>It’s the only warning Shiro gets.</p><p>Keith is tensing and coming in the next moment, a blinding rush. Shiro doubles down on his efforts, jerks Keith through his orgasm as come slides down their hands, lands on Shiro’s cheek. Keith’s moans are dangerous in their intensity and Shiro rolls his hips at the sound of them, gives a helpless groan in response. His grip on Keith’s cock is still tight, held there by Keith’s own trembling fingers, and he squeezes once, around the base where Keith’s knot would be.</p><p>Keith makes a broken high-pitched sound and he curls in on himself, hunching over as Shiro keeps doing it. “Fuck, Shiro—”</p><p>And Shiro finds himself laughing, dazed at the sight of his best friend above him. “Keith,” he whispers, helpless, licking at the come coating his best friend’s hand and cock, swirling his tongue around the sensitive head.</p><p>Keith jerks and shakes, each noise sounding a little more hurt than the last, until his claws find Shiro’s arm, until he begs, “Stop—stop—”</p><p>It’s hard to.</p><p>Keith’s cock never softened, and it was a hell of an orgasm, and Keith looks like he’s ready for another round. Or ten.</p><p>But Shiro obeys, withdrawing.</p><p>He’s hauled up by a strong hand on his jaw, and then Keith is panting into his mouth, fussing with Shiro’s sweatpants. “Fuck me,” he says, the demand hitting Shiro square in the chest. “You have to fuck me—I need—”</p><p>“I know,” Shiro says, even though he doesn’t, even though he thought he would be the one.</p><p>Already he can see it, him straddling Keith’s lap and sinking down onto his lovely cock. The poolside would tear his knees to shreds and Shiro would welcome it, would cling to Keith’s broad shoulders and just take whatever his alpha gave him, over and over.</p><p>“Shiro…” Keith says.</p><p>Shiro doesn’t know how to tell him what he wants.</p><p>But Keith is moving, pushing at Shiro until there’s room for him to slide back into the pool. And he’s turning, folding himself over the pool edge, <em> presenting </em>himself. </p><p>Shiro is only an alpha.</p><p>He can’t help it, sways into Keith’s space, tucks his nose into Keith’s neck.</p><p>Keith’s scent is still wild, crazed, and Shiro drinks it in deep, sucks another spectacular bruise onto Keith’s skin.</p><p>“Okay,” he agrees, barely aware of what he’s saying. “I’ll fuck you.”</p><p>Keith nods, reaching back for him. <em> “Shiro,” </em> he says, tangling their fingers together. “Come <em> on.” </em></p><p>“Yeah, sorry,” he says, slotting his exposed cock against Keith’s ass, slick from come and spit.</p><p><em> “Shiro,” </em>Keith growls, a final warning.</p><p>Shiro has to close his eyes, tries to gather his thoughts back together. They’re scattered all over the place and he can barely <em> think. </em></p><p>“Breathe,” he soothes, running a hand down Keith’s trembling back. Water pools in the dip of his spine.</p><p><em> “Fuck </em>me,” Keith snarls.</p><p>Shiro nudges his way in.</p><p>Keith <em> sobs. </em></p><p>He’s hot around Shiro, the clutch of him impossibly tight. Shiro bites his lip, pushes even further until Keith has to go up onto his toes.</p><p>“Shiro—<em> fuck,” </em> he whines, gasping with each rock of Shiro into him, as he tries to get deeper.</p><p>Shiro groans as the slide continues, splays his fingers over Keith’s stomach. Sweat drips down his temple, rainbows shine in the water droplets on Keith’s shoulders.</p><p>“Almost,” he encourages, half-delirious with the white-hot pleasure jackknifing through him. “Relax for me.”</p><p>Keith’s head drops forward, he bites into his forearm. “Shiro…” he rasps, a drawn-out, pleasure-filled thing.</p><p>HIs eyes are fully glazed now, fingers white where they grip the pool edge. He looks absolutely wrecked, and he smells <em> stunning. </em> Shiro tilts to meet him, to kiss his slack mouth. He’s barely started and already Keith is <em> gone. </em></p><p>Keith licks into Shiro’s mouth, pants against it, utters a wounded sound when Shiro withdraws only to thrust in deeper.</p><p>“Shiro,” he says again, sobbing again with the next thrust.</p><p>“Breathe,” Shiro reminds him, barely able to follow his own instructions.</p><p>The next clench of Keith makes his vision blur.</p><p>Keith’s claws scrape down the poolside, the moan he makes sounds like it was ripped from his throat.</p><p>“Like that?” Shiro says, two hands gripping Keith’s narrow waist as he finds a pace, fucks Keith in short strokes.</p><p>“Yeah,” Keith mumbles. “Yes, yes—god, <em> yes, Shiro—” </em></p><p>Shiro <em> preens. </em>He pushes into Keith all the way then, hears him squeak, sees his fingers flex and flare, grasping at nothing. It’s good, so good. Enough for Shiro to stay there, to grind into that spot of oversensitivity in Keith, to chase the high of having his alpha fall to pieces beneath him.</p><p>“Like that,” Keith groans, laughing hysterically. “Nngh—god, ‘m so <em> full—” </em></p><p>Shiro fumbles with Keith’s shirt, tears at it until he can cup Keith’s stomach as he fucks him.</p><p>“Don’t stop,” Keith says. “Don’t you <em> dare </em>stop.”</p><p>Shiro bites down on the inside of his cheek, humoured at the fact that Keith is still calling the shots when Shiro’s the one who has him bent over and is fucking him in short, sharp thrusts.</p><p>He's not complaining.</p><p>He'll do whatever Keith wants.</p><p>Keith rolls slightly onto his side and Shiro goes cross-eyed when he sees Keith take his cock in hand, when he feels each rough stroke.</p><p>It’s so hard to <em> think. </em></p><p>Keith is lithe under him, and they both groan when Shiro folds himself over Keith’s straining back. He’s close already.</p><p>“It’s too fast,” he murmurs, biting down on the sweat-damp roll of Keith’s shoulder. “You’re gonna make me come.”</p><p>“Nngh—<em>fuck,” </em> Keith swears, and then <em> he’s </em> coming <em> again </em> and the needy pulse of his hole around Shiro’s cock is almost too much.</p><p><em> “Keith,” </em>Shiro whines, desperate.</p><p>It’s too much.</p><p>Shiro withdraws in one slow drag, pushes all the way back in, forces Keith to his toes again. It’s getting harder, the base of his cock swelling and catching on Keith’s puffy rim.</p><p>Keith's whine is a broken, addictive thing. Come coats his hand and Shiro leans forward, licks Keith’s fingers into his mouth. He keeps his cock buried to the hilt, moans around Keith’s fingers as Keith falls to pieces underneath him, cheek pressed to the wet poolside.</p><p>“Shiro…” he groans, just lying there and taking it, the harsh, intense grinding of Shiro’s hips as his cock fills him to the brim. “I can’t…”</p><p><em> Yes you can, </em>Shiro thinks, hands bruising on Keith's hips as he allows himself to turn selfish for a moment, chase his own release. Keith’s cock is still hard when Shiro palms it and he cries out, wounded, claws at Shiro’s forearm.</p><p>“I can’t,” Keith gasps, as Shiro’s cock continues to batter him, hole pulsing around it. “I can’t—Shiro, Shiro—”</p><p>He’s wet and slick in Shiro’s hand, hole clenching mercilessly. If Shiro is the one who’s destroying Keith’s coherency then it has nothing on the way Keith makes him want to lean forward and bite down on his alpha’s neck and make him Shiro’s.</p><p>God, he wants to bite down.</p><p><em> Don’t, </em>he begs himself.</p><p>“Shiro…” Keith pants, sobbing now, the splash of tears on the poolside making something unlock in Shiro. “You’re so good—you feel so good—yes, yes, <em> yes—” </em></p><p>And Shiro is <em> so </em>close now, his knot beginning to swell properly, catching Keith’s rim as he drags it out obscenely before shoving it back in. Keith’s fingers haven’t stopped grasping at the air, his noises are broken, beautiful.</p><p>“Come and I’ll knot you,” Shiro promises, head empty apart from <em> mineminemine. </em></p><p>“Oh fuck,” Keith moans, breath hitching as he writhes in Shiro’s arms. <em> “Please.” </em></p><p>“Come on,” Shiro says, chest roaring triumphantly at the picture Keith makes.</p><p>He did <em> that. </em></p><p>“Knot me,” Keith begs, hand sliding down to work between his legs, stroking hard and fast as he comes for a third time. “Give me your knot, I want your knot—Shiro, <em> alpha, </em>you said—”</p><p>And that does it.</p><p>Shiro clenches his teeth against the moan in his throat but it tears itself free anyway. “Just—take it—” he grits out, pushing Keith into the pool edge, spreading his alpha’s cheeks to widen his hole, to let his knot ease past the sloppy rim. Keith whines, obeys, and the rush of pleasure when Shiro’s knot slips in has him coming right then and there.</p><p>“Oh,” Keith wobbles at the first pulse of come. <em> “Fuck, </em> alpha…” and he lowers his head to the poolside, whimpers.</p><p>“Jesus <em> Christ,” </em> Shiro moans, holding onto Keith’s hips for dear life as his orgasm sears through him. <em> “Alpha.” </em></p><p>“Yes,” Keith whispers, tearstained, gorgeous.</p><p>Everything smells like citrus. Everything feels like <em> KeithKeithKeith. </em>Shiro’s alpha shakes and shudders underneath him, takes each pulse of Shiro’s come as it goes on and on. His hole is obscene, stretched tight around Shiro’s knot and Shiro drags a finger around it drunkenly, testing the give of it.</p><p>“Alpha…” Keith groans, wounded.</p><p>Another time, Shiro thinks, another time he’ll knot Keith and make him take his fingers too.</p><p>Keith’s back is studded with starlight, muscles tensing and shifting under the cerulean glow. He flinches when Shiro touches his still-hard cock again. It’s unacceptable.</p><p>“One more,” Shiro murmurs. “One more, alpha.”</p><p>“I can’t…” Keith begs, but he’s rock hard in Shiro’s hands and his hips keep thrusting forward.</p><p>“You can,” Shiro croons.</p><p>He strokes down, pushes his alpha back onto his knot where he’s still coming, closes his eyes at the molten pleasure that brings.</p><p>“I want to make you come again,” Shiro says. “I wanna make you feel good.”</p><p>“You do,” Keith gasps, “You do, you always do…”</p><p><em> I love you, </em>Shiro thinks blearily.</p><p>“Then <em> let </em> me,” he says, burying a kiss into his alpha’s throat, right over the staccato pulse.</p><p>Keith’s nod is a victory.</p><p>It’s a mindless blur. He gasps and shakes under Shiro’s hands, moans when Shiro opens his mouth against the nape of Keith’s neck.</p><p><em> “Please,” </em> Keith breathes.</p><p>And Shiro’s never heard him sound so sweet.</p><p>Keith comes wetly, his knot swelling in Shiro’s fist. He slumps against the edge, yells as his orgasm wracks him. He’s absolutely stunning, enough to take Shiro’s breath away.</p><p>“Shiro—fu-uck—” he says, strangled moans fighting their way past his clenched teeth.</p><p>Shiro hides his face in Keith’s shoulder, whimpers against his skin. There’s come sliding down Keith’s thighs, squelching against Shiro’s hips, and Shiro is wild with it.</p><p>“That’s it,” he murmurs, rubbing circles on Keith’s waist, soothing him through the trembling aftershocks.</p><p>It takes a while for Keith to stop shaking, for the broken noises to stop spilling from his mouth. Slowly the tension bleeds from his shoulders, his grip on the edge loosens.</p><p>“There you go,” Shiro says approvingly, kissing up Keith’s spine.</p><p>There’s no heat to them, just a quiet comfort. It’s grounding for both of them.</p><p>Eventually Keith sighs, and then he laughs.</p><p>Shiro can’t help it, he laughs too.</p><p>“Good?” he checks, a small voice inside him wondering if Keith will be able to look at him in the aftermath of what they’ve done.</p><p><em> “So </em>good,” Keith groans happily, “I’m so… everything’s so much. So sensitive.”</p><p>The air still smells like an orange grove, and Shiro still wants to sink his teeth into Keith’s neck. But that’s for another time, another place. Not here, at the pool, where anyone could walk in on them. Not now, when Shiro’s heart is in his throat.</p><p>They’ve been best friends for <em> years. </em></p><p>Shiro fucked him in a pool for his first time and called him <em> alpha. </em></p><p>“We should…” he starts. “We should get out of here. Clean up.”</p><p>“Mm,” Keith hums, pillowing his head on his arms. “In a bit.”</p><p>They don’t have ‘a bit’, Shiro wants to say. But they’re still locked together until Shiro’s knot goes down anyway, so he doesn’t.</p><p>Time ticks by, an eternity. Keith comes again when Shiro can finally ease free, whimpering into Shiro’s mouth. He turns Keith gently, cradles him close, pulls him deeper into the water.</p><p>“Okay?” he asks, sweeping Keith’s hair from his forehead.</p><p>Keith nods. “I’m okay.”</p><p>They don’t mention the ‘for now’. Keith’s intermission won’t be for very long.</p><p>“I’m glad,” Shiro says, and then, because he can, kisses Keith’s swollen mouth.</p><p>It’s a lazy exchange he’s drawn into then, one where Keith holds his face and sighs with each squeeze of Shiro’s arms around his waist. There’s no reason for them to be here like this. The spike of heat is absent.</p><p>But here they are, anyway.</p><p>“Thank you,” Keith breathes.</p><p>“Thank <em> you,” </em>Shiro corrects, chest burning.</p><p>Keith splays his hands over Shiro’s pecs appreciatively, flexes his thighs. “You didn’t have to.”</p><p>“I definitely did,” Shiro says, brushing their noses together. “I’ve got you. Whenever you want, I’ve got you.”</p><p>Keith wriggles, his ass brushing against Shiro’s cock. Shiro closes his eyes. It’d be so easy just to slip right back in. “Really?”</p><p>“You have to ask?”</p><p>Keith’s eyes glitter. He leans down, licks right over Shiro’s neck where a mating mark would go. It feels like a promise, especially the way Keith scrapes his teeth over it, licks it.</p><p>“You’re <em> mine,” </em>he says, just like he did earlier when Shiro was still losing his mind.</p><p>“If you’ll have me,” Shiro says, and it’s the closest to a confession he’s going to get tonight.</p><p>“I just <em> took </em>you,” Keith points out, grinning. “But I’ll definitely have you too.”</p><p>Shiro closes his eyes, the fantasy from earlier returning with a renewed vigor. “Anything. Just—not here?”</p><p>Keith laughs then, says, “Okay.”</p><p>Shiro’s heart <em> soars. </em>He likes this, floating in the pool with his best friend, laughing and carefree. He deserves a moment or twenty like these. They both do, together.</p><p>“Upstairs,” Keith says decisively.</p><p>The haze of rut is amping up again, liquefying Shiro’s brain.</p><p>“Yeah…” Shiro nods, ushering them to the side to clamber out.</p><p>And then Keith turns to him, sclerae still golden as he says, “Shiro, what the <em> fuck </em>is the time?”</p><p>Shiro laughs harder. “I have no idea.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>merry chrysler, you filthy animals, i love you all 💛come yell at me on <a href="https://twitter.com/sepiacigarettes">twitter</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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